A typical top drive earth drilling machine consists of substructure with a mast and drawworks mounted thereon. The traditional purpose of a mast is to support hoisting loads during the drilling operation. In the case of a top drive earth drilling machine, the mast may also be required to guide a traveling top drive unit and withstand the torque applied to the mast from the rotating drill pipe. A crown assembly consisting of an array of sheaves is attached to the top of a mast for the purpose of connecting a drilling line from a drawworks mounted on a substructure to a traveling top drive assembly. The relative orientation of the drawworks, crown sheaves, and traveling top drive assembly are designed to permit reeving the drilling line.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,250 teaches an earth drilling machine with a drawworks drum having axis of rotation perpendicular to the axis of rotation of all of the sheaves of the invention. The perpendicular orientation of the drum requires that the entire drawworks and drum must be angled to prevent wear on the drilling line. This is a very costly and time consuming operation because of the cost and labor associated with mounting the drawworks drum at an angle so that the drilling line does not create angle with the fast line sheave that would cause extensive wear.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,407,629 teaches a drilling machine with a system of inserting drilling pipe into place, from a horizontal position using an extensive clamping system.
A need exists for an earth drilling machine that does not require the drawworks to be mounted at an angle, and the embodiments described in this application meet these needs.
A need exists for a drilling machine with a system of efficiently placing the drilling pipe in place to be used.
The current art requires a band breaking system that requires water to cool the system and prevent over heating and damage. A need exists for a rotary drilling rig that uses a simpler more efficient breaking system.
A need exists for a more reliable drilling rig system, with less wear on the wire line and the wire line sheaves.
A need exists for an earth drilling machine with higher reliability than other types of drilling rigs. The embodiments of the traveling swivel frame assembly of the present invention meet that need.
A need exists for a traveling swivel frame for an earth drilling rig, with less wear on the wire line and the wire line sheaves.
A need exists for a traveling swivel frame structure that creates less stress on the drilling rig from the vibrations of the drilling mechanism.
The present embodiments meet these needs.
The present embodiments are detailed below with reference to the listed Figures.